A Palm Coast woman who worked for months as an unlicensed registered nurse at AdventHealth, treating over 4,400 patients, received a sentence of probation on Tuesday after entering a no-contest plea in a Flagler County courtroom. Autumn Bardisa, 29, will not serve any jail time despite charges of unlicensed practice of healthcare and fraudulent use of identification information, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
"Nursing is a noble profession about caring for those in need, but there is a right way and wrong way to go about it, and she chose the wrong way by using a real nurse’s license." — Sheriff Rick Staly, Flagler County Sheriff.
The case drew significant attention due to the duration of the deception and the large number of patients involved. Between June 2024 and January 2025, Bardisa regularly clocked in at AdventHealth, presenting herself to staff, supervisors, and patients alike as a fully credentialed registered nurse. Investigators later confirmed she held no valid nursing license at any point during her employment. The deception allowed her to treat more than 4,400 individuals over an approximate seven-month period.
Bardisa initially entered the hospital system under an "education first" classification, a designation that exists for nursing school graduates awaiting exam results. From there, she escalated her claims, informing hospital staff she had passed her licensing exam and providing a license number as proof. The number she submitted, however, belonged to another nurse who happened to share her first name.
When administrators at AdventHealth began to question inconsistencies in her paperwork, Bardisa attributed them to a name change following marriage. She was subsequently asked to produce documentation to support this claim. Despite her failure to provide the requested documents, the hospital promoted her in January 2025, allowing her to continue in the role of a registered nurse.
The elaborate fabrication was eventually uncovered by a single coworker who conducted an independent credential check. This check revealed that Bardisa possessed only an expired certified nursing assistant (CNA) license—a credential far below the requirements of her position as a registered nurse. The coworker's findings prompted mandatory hospital reporting, which then triggered an investigation involving multiple law enforcement agencies. The scope of this investigation reflected the seriousness with which authorities approached the case, viewing it as extending beyond a routine employment fraud situation.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly condemned Bardisa's actions in strong terms. "Nursing is a noble profession about caring for those in need, but there is a right way and wrong way to go about it, and she chose the wrong way by using a real nurse’s license," Staly stated, adding that her conduct had "potentially endangered patients." He further remarked that Bardisa had effectively "ruined her career" through her choices. The sheriff's comments underscored a broader concern shared by law enforcement: that patients who sought care at AdventHealth during that window had no way of knowing the person treating them had never been licensed to do so.
Judge Dawn Nichols handed down the sentence as part of a plea agreement. Bardisa received five years of probation, 50 hours of community service, and a specific requirement to write a formal apology to the legitimate nurse whose license number she misappropriated. No jail time was ordered, and adjudication was withheld. As part of her probation conditions, Bardisa is prohibited from working in any medical role for a minimum of three years and a maximum of five years. She also surrendered to the Florida Department of Health a nursing license she had managed to obtain following her arrest.
The case raises significant questions about the robustness of credentialing protocols within hospital environments and the efficacy of oversight mechanisms designed to protect patient safety. The fact that Bardisa was able to operate undetected for such an extended period, even receiving a promotion despite inconsistencies in her documentation, has prompted scrutiny of internal verification processes. Authorities have urged members of the public who believe they received treatment from Autumn Bardisa during her tenure at AdventHealth to contact the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office for further investigation and assistance. The resolution of the case, while imposing legal consequences, underscores the challenges in preventing sophisticated identity fraud within critical public services and the paramount importance of vigilant oversight in safeguarding public trust and well-being. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the potential vulnerabilities in healthcare systems.
